How does dual band work?

[MNFlannery]

I'm trying to improve connectivity since although I got a beefy network card my router still can't keep up or maybe the wiring is garbage because it hasn't been redone since before I was born, I got around 70mbps download on my speed test the first day and around 60 on the 2nd which I was perfectly happy with that since before it had peaked at 30. But now I'm back to the <mod edit> 3mbps - 20mbps downloads I used to get and of course the random DCs if I'm playing a game, not as frequently as they used to be though. I haven't yet tried to switch to the 5ghz band, but when I went to do that I realized I could only switch between the two, not have them active at the same time, I'd like to avoid dealing with complaints of the wifi only being good in the immediate area of the router. So how do I finagle it to where I can use the speed of the 5ghz whilst everyone else uses the range of the 2.4ghz?
smh this might not even give me better connection

<Moderator Warning: Watch your language in this forum>

 

[13thmonkey]

Consider power line networking.

 

[Phillip Corcoran]

If your wireless router broadcasts the 5GHz & the 2.4GHz as two separate SSIDs in the "available networks" list on your devices, you simply connect that device (phone or laptop) to whichever of those two SSIDs you want it to use.

However, when at home it's best to avoid using WiFi wherever possible as ethernet will always beat WiFi for speed & stability.

 

[The Paladin]

1. what kind of router is it, cable? ADSL? make and model please.
2. what is your network card in your computer ( is it desktop or laptop)
3. dual band works with paired 5ghz normally not 2.4 & 5 ghz combined.
4. 2.4ghz is the one that has the range, the 5ghz is the shorter range one (higher speed = shorter range)
5. there are ways to tweak routers for get more out of the bandwidth all depends on the router model
6. you can just get "everyone" to only connect to the 2.4 by making the 5ghz SSID to not show (not declared) change the password so your the only one capable to connect to it. sure that is easy enough to do... but whom is everyone? how many people.

Wi-Fi is a shared signal and depending on the age of the router it will only handle only so many simultaneous Wi-Fi connections per band before it starts juggling the signal (as you experiences as disconnects or pauses or lag spikes) to try to handle the demand.

 

[boosted1g]

Dual band means it has dual (so 2) different frequency bands. That means (assuming hardware is also dual band) that it has the option of connecting to a network connection at 2.4ghz or at 5ghz.

2.4ghz: longer range, all devices support this frequency, much fewer channels though then 5ghz and thus very congested in urban areas
5 ghz: faster max speed, many more channels providing much much less congestion with neighbors, issues with 5ghz band though is that cant penetrate more then a wall or two so it has much shorter range, and older or cheaper devices don't have 5ghz capable hardware.

If you live in a small apartment and cant get good 2.4 ghz signal then going to 5ghz band will make a diference
If you live in a large house and dont get good 2.4ghz signal then switching to the weaker 5ghz band will only be worse.

Best by far option is to be connected via hardwired etherent.
After that your next best option for a desktop or other non-mobile device is using a new generation powerline adapter.